Tradition and Innovation: Filigree workshop

December 8 to 12 – 2014
Five days, 30 hours

Is it possible to use a 5000 year old technique to make contemporary jewellery ?

Yes it is and Susanne Matschè is a fantastic teacher

Susanne Matsché, pendant, silver, steel

As the dictionary tells us filigree is a delicate ornamental work of twisted gold, silver, or other wire and one of the oldest jewellery techniques and used in almost all jewellery traditions. Today it might be regarded as old-fashioned and just linked to cheap remakes of traditional pieces but in the right hands it can be of a magical beauty.

Susanne Matsché, www.susannematsche.com, Austrian, American, German jeweller, specialized in this very particular and in contemporary jewellery quite unusual technique has already given an insight in the art of filigree at Alchimia in June 2014.

It was a great success and students, some at their first arms in jewellery making, were able to realize an impressive number of pieces and samples in these five days.

Susanne Matsché, pendant, silver

Dates of workshop: December 8 to December 12, five days, 30 hours

cost: € 700 + 22% VAT

workshop description:

In this workshop students will get an insight into the art of filigree. To create light, delicate pieces of jewelry, we will prepare decorative fine silver wires, make special solder alloy, and assemble wires in multiple layers.
The unusual technique of filigree is a fascinating process with its soft fine silver wire of an almost textile quality, the assembling of complex ornaments with glue on paper, the use of special tweezers and powdered solder. Over the course of the 5 days the students will have the opportunity to take the traditional technique further to develop a highly personal application out of these ancient methods…

workshop June Alchimia

Susanne Matschè has been teaching workshops in this technique in schools and universities all over the world and her love for this particular kind of work is contributing to keep 5000 years of knowledge alive.